Foldable reclining chair



Jan. 3, 1950 K. E. A. SCHMIDT FOLDABLE RECLINING' CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1947 l Suventor KNUD ERIK NDREASSCHMIDT @Homey Jan. 3, 1950 K. E. A. SCHMIDT FOLDABLE RECLINING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1947 inclined at various angles.

Patented Jan. 3, 1950 FOLDABLE RECLINING CHAIR Knud Erik Andreas Schmidt, Copenhagen, Denmark Application August 29, 1947, Serial No. 771,247 ,I

In Denmark September 3, 1946 1 Claim.

, My invention relates to folding beach chairs, and relates particularly to a chair which in its extreme reclining position may be used as a cot.

Conventional reclining deck or beach chairs have been provided with backs which may be However, in the conventional chairs the canvas is supported longitudinally upon the seat and the back rest. Since the canvas when thus supported is prone to sag, the user is forced into a crouched position which is uncomfortable in both the upright and the reclining positions. Although comfortable upright chairs and comfortable folding cots are well known, a folding chair which is equally comfortable in the upright and the reclining positions has not, to my knowledge, hitherto been available. It, therefore, is an object of my invention to provide a folding beach chair which may be used either as a chair or as a cot in comfort.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel method of supporting the canvas for the seat and back, whereby there is little tendency for the canvas to loosen, and whereby the canvas may readily be replaced if necessary.

Another object of my invention is to provide a folding chair whose arm rests are automatically lowered when the chair is converted into a cot.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly ecient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be .more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunctlonwith theY accompanying drawing in which:

Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts, I show in Figs. 1 to 7 a form of beach chair which can be converted into a cot. In Figs. to 12, I show a second form of such a chair. In Figs. 13 and 14, I show a third form, and in Fig. 15, I show a fourth form of such a chair.

In the first form, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, the chair comprises a pair of sides and a seat, each side being designated generally as A. The back rest of the chair is formed by two side members, each designated as B. The sides A and B are hinged together as at 20, whereby the back rest and the seat may be inclined with respect to each other at various angles, or whereby they may be aligned end to end, as shown in Fig. 3 where the chair is used as a cot. Front legs, each designated as C, are pivoted to both seat side members A as at 22, and both legs are connected by transverse braces 24. A combination arm rest and rear leg, designated generally as D, is pivoted near its middle to each back rest member B as at 26, and both members D are connected by transverse braces 28. The arm rest ends of the members D are also pivoted to the upper ends of the front legs C, as at 30. It may be seen that the members A, B, C and D form a collapsible quadrilateral by virtue of the pivotal connections at 22, 26, 30 and the hinge 20. In order to maintain the inclination of the back rest with respect to the seat, at any one of several positions, adjustable braces E are provided. Braces E each have their lower ends pivoted to a member D, as at 32, and at their upper ends carry pins 34 which are adapted to nest in any of a series of cutouts 36 located along the rear edges of the back rest sides B. Accordingly, by inserting the adjustable brace pins 34 in the various cut-outs 36, the back rest becomes locked at the various degrees of inclination. As shown in Fig. 3, when the adjustable braces are engaged in the cutouts nearest the ends of the members B, the back rest becomes a horizontal continuation of the seat and my chair then becomes a cot.

In order to increase the leg room of the cot thus formed, I add a foot rest extension, consisting of side members 38 and 40, between which canvas is stretched, and a curved end brace 42, which conforms to the natural hollow curvature of the canvas when the cot is occupied. Legs 54 and 56 are pivoted to the sides 38 and 40 at points 51 and 58 and blocks 60 serve as stops.

In order to prevent the canvas K which is stretched laterally between the sides A and the sides B from loosening, I provide the cinching yarrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 9. The sides A and B are each provided with a circular hollow 50 which extends along their inner edges. Each end of the canvas is rolled several times about a round bar or dowel 52, and the completed roll is placed in the circular hollow 5I) and secured thereto, as by nails or screws 5B. The latter fastenings may be removed in order to repair or replace the canvas.

In Figs. 10, l1, and 12, I show a second form of my invention. This chair consists of members F which serve as sides for the seat, and also as rear legs. The front legs G are pivoted at or near their midsections to the members F as at 62, and are also pivoted at their upper ends to the arm rests H, as at 64. Members J serve as sides for the back rest, and are hinged at their lower ends to the midsection of the members FA The armrests are ,pivotally connected to the back rest members J at an intermediate point 66. The upper length of the members J are provided with the cut-outs 36 previously described for the first form of my chair. Adjustable braces E have their lower ends .pivoted .to the members.,F,A and their upper ends -arefprovided with pins;l Whichvmay be engaged with the Various cut-outs desired, in

the manner previously described, to obtain the various inclinations of the back rest.

In my rst form of chair I show'hinges@2llyk Ywhich may be any conventional strapk hinges. v

For the second form of my chair, and alsofor the third and fourth forms,l I prefer to use a Y inventioninv the same manner.

4 The lower ends of the levers X are pivotall'y con-l nected to points 96 on the front legs T by means of links Y. Adjustable back rest braces E cooperate with cut-outs 36 in the back rest memv bers V as was previously described, s0 as to provide the desired inclination of the back rest. When this. particular chauds-converted into a cot,` as byrengaging thenbaclrlirest braces E in the most extreme cut-out 36, the arm rest ends of fthe members W lower to the level of the cot.

IThe, canvas which forms the Yseat and the back` restais attached in all of the forms of my It can be seen *that the canvas is protected against chang by special hinge shown in Fig. 9j -Wlfiich'consists ofiv l Y two laterally-adjacent plates 58 and 55E-and which are rotatably joined by a rivet 6|. Eachplateris` screwed or otherwise fastened to the inner edge ofthe hingedchair members, such as F and J in thisform. of-'chair being.described.'` y y In the rstrandlsecgndforrns ofmy convertible chair, the arm`. restsproi ecyabove the. cot level, succeeding-.fermarti my are shown. in Ywhich.

the arme-restslower-1:to'thefapproximate level of thefcot.; Y Y

In i the,tlfii.rd, -forrr1f,of;` -my, convertible chair showninligsland 14; thebacl; rest sides L are pivotedztof'ent. braces v'il Lyasgatg'li), and1 areralso.- hinged. to; the seat-enel-fleef aty i12@1 Separate armrests Aare hinged-to the baci:VY rest-sidesfL'at at |4,f=andalsojto arrn rest braces B asiat '16. l'lihelewer,enlsof thearm rest.. bracesV P areapivotally-,connected .to-fthemembers;

Mas atv'l8.- Thefend'braeesflifarealsopivotally cormeoted-sto thefront 15885 Q asat pointsvf- Each stretcher bar R has-one.endn,pivotally con-f nected. atpoint 83, fancgits; Yother f nd pivotally connectedenear. thezgroundendxof oneof the members M,, aslatfhw TheXupper--endsi-of the iustablerbraceaE and` thercut-Vouts .E6-'lare used toriprovide-:variogusf4 inclinations of-@the baek- Vrest as; previouslyfidescribed.. Asrshown in Fig.L 141,*` this-v forrn of my chair yfold sffvgi'lzien used, asacomm such. mannerV` thatthef arn'rf.;restsV NI f lower. substantially toy the;level. .of.it he= r[,he difference side .Y members f rM. as

the adjacent side members when the chair is being:v folded, or; converted.

Although'- my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the .invention may f be variously embodied, vand the. scope of. theA inventionis:--,to= vbe determined` as'claimed.` Y

I claim.. as my, `invention:-A

Anadjustable back folding.. chair convertible- Y tovfacoty; consistingfof twov.identica1 side frames; each: frame: arranged: irrgar,verticalv plane paralleltothe other frame;saidzfranresffbeing maintained at asuitablefdistancefrom eacheo-therF-byfmeansf offhorizontal` transverseJ b''arsfsaidV5 f-ramesf'corn-v prising ia combination rearleg` and;` arm' rest" pivotally connected" '1:01a' back rest side memberandto a front leg,.a1seatsidemember pivotallyr4 connected? toV said side member'. andrr tojsaid :front: legrand canvasf'or Y.other fabriclI suspended uporrY saicl.-,transv erse laterally nflevelsispurposely exaggerated-.m the. figure:

sogthat-themanner-,in which tha-parts fold may;

befshown.

In, the fourthP forni of my invention, I the seat`4 side-memberss arei..lzpivots'rllrgy supported byt the.y

front-l legs 'Il near;y oneflendgas-aat j points:l 90, and'- the other end'seof. thefmemberss are Vhinged to thefsids V @fthe/badges@ .MeIntelsVSM-which` serve both as arm rests andalsoas rear legs, each is. pivotally connectedto:oneibaolfr; restV member V asat 92,:and alsofatthafront,endsvthemem.- bers LW are .pivqtrallyconneentedto levers X Whichf are'. pivotedto the seat membersV S at points-SHI.A

betweenetheuseat and@baciarestC side-members of' each frame-tol form u.aisupport fforl the# occupati-tf of thechain a plurality off cut-outs@locatedy in the'rearxnost surface ofsaidback'rest, side mem"- ber, a bra'cepivotally Aco'nn'e'ct'ed'.toesaid com'binationk rear legy and arm rest', andi adapted to engage Vany onej` ofsa'icl` cuteo'uts. whereby said back rest'imay be inclinedgatvariousangleso elevation.with`4 respect to thefground.V

ERIKANDREAS SCHMIDT.

l REFEREN'CEsoIrED Thei following f references' are l`-rof! Vrecordl rin the le of this patent:

. UNITED; STA'ESRATENTS" .Y 

